Statement by the IAEA Director General on DPRK

Wednesday 4 December 2002 0:00 CET

Vienna

2002/19

The Director General has received a reply dated 2 December from the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) to Mr. ElBaradei’s letter of 29 November conveying the resolution adopted by the IAEA Board of Governors on 29 November.

The DPRK rejects the resolution in familiar terms, attributing the nuclear crisis in the Korean Peninsula to a hostile policy towards it (the DPRK).

The letter does not respond directly to the resolution’s request that the DPRK clarify reports of its having an undeclared uranium enrichment programme, nor does it respond to the Director General’s invitation of 18 October for high-level talks in Vienna or the DPRK.

Dr. ElBaradei reiterates his “deep concern” about the situation, his readiness to discuss all related matters with the DPRK, and his determination to implement the IAEA safeguards agreement with the DPRK fully, and as soon as possible.

The IAEA and the DPRK continue to have meetings at a working level. A meeting between the IAEA safeguards inspectors and DPRK counterparts is under way this week in DPRK related to the Agency’s role in implementing the Agreed Framework “freeze” on certain DPRK nuclear facilities – a freeze which continues to be monitored.